Coupler yoke



Aug, 21, 1928.

J. A. PILCHER- COUPLER YOKE Original Filed Sept. 1. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,784

J. A. PiLCHER COUPLER YOKE Original Filed Sept. 1. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 21, 1928 1,681,784"- U EDV T ATENTM E f JOHN a PILGHEB, or, someone, vmemm co rLER You;

Application filed September 1, 1922, Serial No. 5s5,773.- Renewed Ja uary'ec; 1928..

This invention relates to railway cars and jdraft gears therefor. One ob'ect of the invention coupleryoke attached to a coupler in such manner to permitrelative angling of the In the'accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is -a plan showing a yoke'and coupler embodying my invention in position in the underframing of a car; Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof; Figure 3 is a plan showing how the cushioning mechanism may be inserted into 1 the yoke before applying to car.

The yoke is comprised, of an upper arm 1 and a lower arm '2, joined at their rear end with vertically extending portions 2. Each arm has a vertically disposed'slot 8 extending therethrough of substantially the same width from the forward end ofthe upper arml all the way around to the forward end of the lower arm 2. The coupler butt 4 on its top and bottom surfaces is provided with circular extension 5, each of which has laterally extending lugs .6 tarrangedat right angles to the axis of the coupler. The ends of the slots 3 in the yoke arms are arc-shaped and provide bearings 7 for the trunnions 5 on the coupler butt thereby providing substantial pulling bearings between the coupler and the yoke and at the same time allowing the couler freedom for lateral movement. The rear ace of the coupler butt 4 and the forward face of the front follower block 8 preferably sition after it has been pulled away from the.

follower during draft. The corresponding arc-shaped faces 9 on the rear face ofthe coupler butt and the forward face of the front is to provide a anism 10 in the yoke.

rotated about the coupler butt thus permitting the easy insertionof the cushioning mechfollower also allows the acne followers be i The coupler and yoke are connected before eitheris placed inthe car by swinging the coupler at right angles to the yokeand turn ing' it on itsfside. The coupler butt when turned on itsfiside, may be slip ed betweenthe yoke arms l and2, and then yusing the roundedportion 12of the coupler butt ad oin mg the trunnion under the lugs 6, be brought back to its normal ertical position, when I lugs 6"will'pass through the slots 3in the upper and lower arms.= The coupler inaythen" be turned into longitudinal alignment {with a the yoke, thus locking the coupler butt to the" upper and lowerarms-of the yokewith the Y lugs 6 upon'the trunnions 5., Thefront follower 8 may then beplacedin position with its forward'face 9 bearing a 'gainst the-rear face of thecoupler butt. The rear follower 13, which-may beof any approvedform is then placed against the forward face of'venically eXtendi-ng'portions 2F ofthe yoke.

Toinsert the-cushioning mechanism mm the yoke thefr-o-n't follower8is rotated about the cou ler butt,-as shown in Figure 3, and

"follower back-into its normal position. \This will put the cushioning mechanism: under slight compression and cause the front follower to fit snugly against the coupler butt.

After the cushioning mechanism has been placed in position, the coupler, yoke, front and rear follower and the cushioning mechanism are then elevated into posit-ion on the car. Beneath the coupler butt and the yoke is a bottom plate 14, detachably fastened to the car frame, which forms a bearing for the lower lug 6, supports the coupler butt and also holds the upper lug 6 near the top plate 15, thereby limiting the vertical movement of the coupler butt. The rear end of the yoke is sup? ported by the carrier iron 16 which may be integral with or fastened to the bottom cover plate 14.

The rear faces of the forward draft sill stops 17 are tapered slightly, as is the front face of the front follower block 8 which comes in engagement with the stops, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This will allow the front edges of the front follower block 8 to enter the space clear of the edges of the stops and thereby permit the easy application of the mechanism to the car after the cushioning mechanism has been placed within it. v p

Although I have herein shown and de-' of carrying out the invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto;

I claim 1. In a device of above and below the yoke, the plate below engaging the bottom trunnion supporting coupler and yoke and holding the top trunnion near the top plate, therebylimiting the vertical movement of coupler butt.

, 2. In a device of the character described,

a coupler, yokein the form of an elongated linkwith-the endsbent iniparallel planes to form the upper and lower arms, a coupler, the butt thereof having slot andprojection engagement wit-lithe forward ends of the yoke :arms, a cushioning mechanism having a front theforward ends of the yoke arms, a cushion- I ing mechanism, a front arid a rear follower, the slot in the yoke arms extending from the slot and projection engagement of the'coupler in the upper arm around the rear follower to the slot and projection engagement of the coupler in the lower arm.

the character described, f a coupler yoke, having slotted upper and I 4. A coupler yoke having slotted upper and lower arms, a coupler, the butt thereof having a slot'and projection engagement with the forward ends of the yoke arms, a cushioning mechanism, a front and a rear follower, the scribed what I consider the preferred manner butt of said coupler being so formed that all points on its rear surface lie in a surface of revolution, and the forward face of said front follower being formed to cooperate with the rearface of said coupler butt, whereby. said front follower and coupler may rotate relative to each other. a I

5. A coupler yoke comprising plurality of U-shaped members having integral connections at their front ends, the said connecb10115 forming rotatlve bearings for the .cou-

pler butt. I I

parts arranged in parallel in a horizontal plane, said parts having integral connections I at their front ends, the sald connections forming rotative bearings for the-coupler butt. a

7. A one-piece compound yoke having up: per and lower members, said upper and lower members being divided vertically along the longitudinal middle plane of the yoke, the

, a ,5 B0 6. A coupler yoke having upperj and lower I yoke members, each of which is comprised of divided members being connected only at f points of rotative engagement with the cou-. pler. J

8. A coupler yoke having slotted arms, a coupler, the butt thereof; having an arcL- shaped rear face and a slot and projection engagement with'the forward ends of the yoke 1 forward face cooperating with 'the'rear face of the butt. and adapted to transmit buffing stresses from coupler to cushioning mecha- 'nism approximately at theaxis thereof when the coupler is angled laterally.

JOHN A. PILVCHAER. 

